New Neon Hat

Have you ever thought about what your least favorite temperature is?
Mine is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It makes the weather incredibly annoying. It's been between 38 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit here for a couple of weeks. It's been chilly, wet and gray; and I've had trouble deciding if I need a coat, or not, most days.
Not Today! It's cold again; under 30 degrees. I couldn't be more relieved. The air feels fresh and crisp, and we even saw some snow flurries. I definitely wore my jacket when I went outside...
And my new hat!

(I know I look like a dork in this photo, but that's what happens when you take pictures of yourself.)

(P.S. I am also aware that it is even dorkier that I am standing in front of one of my paintings. In my defense I just got excited about Winter.)

I'm, obviously, showcasing this hat because it was handmade.

Even better; it was handmade for me by my friend Elizabeth.

I didn't know what it was going to look like until it was done.

I told Elizabeth I wanted it to match my sneakers.

And Viola! 

Nice work E.

It's cool when you are good at making things. It's twice as cool when you have friends that are good at making things and you get to make things for each other. I think that is how the world goes 'round.

A Treasury For Late Winter Warmth

HangingHalo put together this nice collection from Etsy just in time for the end of winter. I really enjoy how colorful it is.

'Dress a Snowman or Yourself' by HangingHalo

Scarves, hats, coats, and mittens galore!! Cute accessories you'll need to keep cozy!!

puppet gloves mandalinarossa $39.00	Whimsy Gnome Slouch... Raimbowtree $68.00	Baby/Toddler Scarf ... ASweetAroma $7.00
Knit Hat with Ruffl... nekhbet $22.00	Violet, Plum, Blue ... PunteBella $26.00	bibiana - a massive... bungaloe $34.00
Hi and Bye Fingerle... KnitWitChicago $	New for 2011 - Back... FlorasFinest $29.95	Wool Hat and Mitten... TurnUpGreen $40.00
Baby mitten - Fleec... pascalineNY $10.00	Cloche Hat in Choco... bonniesknittin... $85.00	Tweet Tweet Peace B... mimabirdboutiq... $20.00
Child's multi-c... WalkingCrowStu... $44.00	Handmade Mini Scarf... scgeraci $28.00	ON SALE Half Price-... marymatsumoto $32.50

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Inspiration From Paradise Lost

Every piece that I create is one of a kind. Because of this I will often get special requests for hoodies, or scarves with very specific themes. The piece featured above is a perfect example of that. I recently created it for a friend who marvels in American Tiki. He is a man quite sensitive toward this lost culture and I had a lot of fun delving deep in its roots to make my first Tiki Man Hoodie.

My first step was to start combing thrift stores and yard sales. The goal was to find a remnant that once helped to shape urban polynesian style. Fortunately I didn't have to go any further than my nearest thrift store. There I found the perfect shirt, straight from Hawaii itself. As you can see I took the liberty of adding the tag to the design as proof of authenticity.

In looking for further inspiration for the hoodie's composition I came across interesting facts about the lost culture. For instance, it used to be that every major city in America had a Polynesian Palace. In the 20's and 30's primitive art was adored by artists of the avantegarde. The God Tiki was their muse. Even Picasso himself owned a Marquesan Tiki. The style of modern primitivism found mass appeal to the middle class after WWII. The whimsy and bohemian personality of the sub-culture really started to catch. So where did the suburban savage go? Apparently he turned into a "Parrot-Head." The 70's and Jimmy Buffet are attributed with the "watering down" of Polynesian style. The Tiki Bar started to get knocked by culture critics as an embarassing fad. And by the 80's it was over. Geez, what didn't the 80's kill?

So that's what I learned about Tiki, in a nutshell. Thanks to Seth for the incentive to do this.

"Suburban Savage"...has a great ring to it. Don't you think?

Artistic Inspiration

I read this great book a while back. Actually, there were more pictures in the book than words, so I should say I "enjoyed" a book. It is called A Year In Japan by Kate T. Williamson. She is an artist that lived in Japan once, just to experience it. The book was adorable. Her illustrations in it were so precious I have never been able to forget them. While I was putting together my most recent batch of hoodie hats the book popped into my mind and inspired me to create this new piece. I get so excited when I make a piece that has such an enormous inspiration behind it. Imagine, Kate had to go all the way to Japan, stay there for a year, write a book of illustrations about it, publish the book, wait three years for me to find the book in the library, then buy the book, then become inspired by the book's imagery six months later, and finally make a hoodie about it. (phheww!) These kinds of connections in the universe amaze me. There are two parts of the book in particular that this piece brings to mind. The first is a peeled mango on a stick. These can apparently be purchased from vendors in Japan. I think that's lovely. And what a genious way to eat a mango. The second inspiration comes from her pages about how beautiful she found the night sky to be. I wish I could remember her exact words. At least the imagery stuck with me enough to bring about another one-of-a-kind creation.

                 Picture by Kate

If you are intrigued at all about Kate her website is http://www.katetwilliamson.com/.